


Malakardi's counseling sessions

by tiger9in1



Series: Malakardi [4]
Category: Crystal Guardians, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Malakardi is an alien, Mental Institutions, Repressed Memories, Snacks & Snack Food, counseling session, traumatic memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:00:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25304932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiger9in1/pseuds/tiger9in1
Summary: During her mission in Persona 5, Malakardi makes a deal of her own with Doctor Maruki. The counseling sessions are, interesting, to say the least.
Series: Malakardi [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1824058





	1. Chapter 1

Malakardi was quite interested when the school announced it was hiring a counselor for anyone traumatized by Kamoshida. She didn’t trust the principal’s motives at all, but it was honestly a good idea. Certainly, most people at the school needed therapy by now.  
When she was younger, she was much warier of counseling, as she had been institutionalized in a particularly confining way. But Kendara and others had explained to her, human mental health treatment was much more helpful than the harsh methods the Halim used. In fact, Kendara was a counselor herself, though she preferred not to advertise herself that way. Certainly, this school needed someone like Kendara; someone willing to listen, give good advice, and even be silly sometimes.

She watched Dr Maruki at the podium with interest. He was younger than everyone expected, it seemed, and his voice seemed warm and comforting. And surprisingly clumsy as well; that made her feel better about how awkward she felt in human form. 

And yet…something about his scent seemed familiar. That couldn’t be right, could it? She could be mistaken, it was always difficult to zero in on a particular scent among a thousand others, particularly in a crowded room. Still, though, she was a tracker by training. Once she emerged from the Metaverse the first time a few weeks ago, her olfactory senses sharpened immensely, amplified by her magical tracking ability. The feeling nagged at her, she needed to remember.

After the assembly, her companions talked in the courtyard, not sure what to think either. At least, Ann and Ryuji did; Akira never said much, and Malakardi herself was too lost in thought. She heard Maruki’s footsteps before they did, turning around. What was that sweet scent, apples? And he seems to be interested in us in particular. Figures. 

“Akira, it must have been especially tough for you after having just transferred here. And you as well, Marika,” he said, turning to Malakardi. She shrugged. 

Up close, he seemed more familiar than ever. But how? Where could they have seen him before? Out of nowhere, she remembered when she and the other Phantom Thieves exited Mementos for the first time. What happened then? Hmmm. Let’s see, they stepped out of Mementos, and…she smelled someone familiar watching them. Yusuke. She introduced the others. But there wasn’t anyone else around then, was there? She thought further back…

“Ah! But if you come to my office, you can have free snacks!”

Malakardi looked up with interest. He wasn’t lying. From him she could smell traces of food, both salty and sweet. Not as good as fish, but pretty tasty anyway.

Akira echoed her thought, “Tell us more of these snacks…”

“Hey, don’t fall for that!” said Ann.

It appeared they didn’t have a choice about the counselling, the school saw to that. But, Maruki offered ways of improving mental acuity. I don’t need that, thought Malakardi, she already absorbed information like a sponge. Not getting nervous on dates? Malakardi snorted in embarrassment at how her first date with Mishima went. It might have been nerves, but mental training alone couldn’t fix her near-absent social skills.

Ryuji and Ann left, and Malakardi followed them, puzzled, and then stopped dead. Of course! She remembered where she’d smelled him after all: the alley after they finished Kamoshida’s palace. She’d smelled apples then, and hadn’t thought about it. But it was the same. He had to have been nearby. What if he’d them, like Yusuke had? No wonder why the situation reminded her of Yusuke. 

As Akira rejoined them, she muttered, “I need to go,” and ran back down the hall. She caught up to Maruki.

“What is it, Marika? You need something?”

Malakardi took a deep breath. “I think we need to talk.” She looked around, but saw and smelled no one else. “Can we sit down?”

“Of course.” They sat down near the vending machines.

Malakardi blurted out, “You were there that night, weren’t you? You saw us.”

He didn’t speak, and he seemed nervous. Finally, he said, “I did.”

“What did you see?”

“You suddenly appeared in the back alley near the school. You, Sakamoto-kun, Kurusu-kun, and Takamaki-san.”

That made sense. And that was the day she got her powers too, so her senses weren’t sharpened yet. Easy to miss, except in memory. “So, you know, don’t you?”

“That you’re the Phantom Thieves? Yes.” He paused a moment. “Do the others know?”

“Not yet,” said Malakardi. “Should I tell them?”

“I would prefer if you didn’t. I’m writing a paper on cognitive psience, and I wanted to interview your group as members of the Phantom Thieves. If my subjects were aware, it could skew the data.”

“I can see your point.” And she could. It couldn’t be an experiment without a control group, but case studies and other sort of research could still be important. “The research opportunity of a lifetime, right?”

“Exactly.”

“I suppose,” said Malakardi hesitantly, “I could keep quiet, and answer more detailed questions about the Metaverse. But I’m not sure. Any particular reason why I should?”

“I could make it worth your while,” said Maruki. “Only…” he paused. “I’m not sure how.”

Throughout their conversation, Malakardi had been touching him surreptitiously to gauge his reaction, using her skin receptors to read his mind in short bursts. He seemed sincere, although there was a certain power about him that she found disconcerting. She did want to make a deal, doing so felt natural since Kaladi prefer exchanges. But what?

“…Could you teach me facial expressions?”

“What?” He seemed surprised.

“I can’t read facial expressions, like, at all. Is it…is it possible you could teach me?”

“I believe so.” His voice was warm.

“I also have trouble with other social skills as well. It’s difficult.” She sighed. “I’d like to know what other people normally do in different situations.”

“It is true,” said Maruki, “there are many ways to express one’s individuality. But, of course, some methods of interaction are more preferred than others.”

“So, can you teach me?”

“I believe so, yes.”

“Then it’s a deal!” said Malakardi. She felt on solid ground with a fair exchange established. On impulse, she hugged him, then stepped back and checked her receptor. “Sorry, was that okay?” she asked.

His emotions: confused but happy. Some sadness there too. “…It’s fine,” he said.

As she was leaving, she stopped. “One more thing,” she said. “I’d prefer you call me Malakardi. I’ll explain why later.”

“If you prefer it, I would be happy to.”


	2. Chapter 2

She stopped by the next Friday after school, to see Maruki. He greeted her at the door as Yoshizawa was leaving. When he saw her, he smiled, she thought. “Come in, make yourself comfortable,” he said.

Malakardi followed him in, but she stopped just inside the doorway. As the door closed behind her, a pungent cloud of disinfectant assaulted her nostrils. She shuddered. Images and sensations came back to her, from a long time ago. In her mind’s eye, she saw the vibrant white of the floors, and the white foam couches. Her hands were bound again with tight and itchy white bandages, and she felt a plastic brace around her teeth.  
Something snapped inside her. Maruki spoke, but she barely heard it. She turned around, and as the door swung closed, she seized the handle and darted through it, running, running as she had from Kamoshida…

She felt the same burst of speed, and the same sensation of running on all fours. She burst through the entrance, as students scattered out of her way. She stopped just outside. It was raining, and the sudden downpour oddly comforted her. She turned her head up, drinking it in, and embracing the smell associated with rain. City rain was too acidic, not the pristine showers of home, but still cleansing. And calming.

She turned as she heard Maruki’s voice calling her name. “Hiraoka-chan!” She came back inside, dripping, only then realizing that the raindrops mingled with her own tears.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, but she couldn’t speak. She started sobbing while Maruki tried his best to soothe her, holding her.   
She eventually did calm down, embarrassed.

“Sorry,” she said. “I…didn’t expect to react that strongly.”

“It’s all right,” he said. “Would you prefer to talk about it?”

She hesitated. “Yes,” she said, “but not yet.”

Then her nostrils caught a whiff of fresh yakisoba pan, and she smiled. “I’ll be right back,” she said, and bought one. “Now I’m ready.”


End file.
